Sailing vessel

ABSTRACT

A sailing vessel of the type having a main hull, an outrigger hull, and a rig which is reversible to permit sailing with either end of the hulls in the forward direction, is provided with a pair of rudders, one on each side of the transverse middle plane of the vessel. A device is provided for locking either rudder in a neutral position to serve as a drop keel. Preferably, the rudders are mounted on the outrigger arms connecting the two hulls.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,902,442

Bech Sept. 2, 1975 [5 1 SAILING VESSEL 3,223,065 12/1965 Wilson 114/39 3,646,902 3/1972 Smith..... 114/39 [76] Inventor: 9 Bed, Kongevele 2830 3,728,983 4/1973 Ingham 114/165 V1rum, Denmark [22] Filed: F b, 19, 1974 Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Assistant ExaminerGregory W. OConnor [211 App! 443622 Attorney, Agent, or Firmlmirie, Smiley & Linn [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Feb. 19, 1973 Denmark 865/73 A sailing vessel of the type having a main hull, an outrigger hull, and a rig which is reversible to permit sail- [52] US. Cl. 114/39; 114/123; 114/163 ing with either end of the hulls in the forward direc- [51] Int. Cl B63b 35/00 tion, is provided with a pair of rudders, one on each [58] Field of Search 1 14/39, 61, 127, 128, 129, side of the transverse middle plane of the vessel. A device is provided for locking either rudder in a neutral position to serve as a drop keel. Preferably, the rud- [56] References Cited ders are mounted on the outrigger arms connecting UNITED STATES PATENTS the two hulls- 3,173,395 3/1965 Laurent 114/39 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures lq 1 m 351T l I 1 J J i 28 3 PATENTED SEP 2 975 sum 3 qg 3 1 SAILING VESSEL This invention relates to sailing vessels of the type comprising a main hull, an outrigger hull connected thereto by means of a plurality of outrigger arms, and a sail rig on the main hull adapted to be reversed for sailing of the vessel with either end thereof in the forward direction.

Sailing vessels of this type are known. They present the advantage of a great stability under wind pressure, and this stability is always the same, since shifting to the other tack is not effected by going about or veering, but by reversing the sailing direction of the vessel. However, the known vessels of-this type present various inconveniences in respect of the rudder control during reversingmanoeuvers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a rudder arrangement which will insure full and easy control of such vessels during .reversisng manoeuvers. V

Another object is to provide a rudder arrangement comprising a pair of rudders serving alternatively for steering and for counter-acting drifting of the vessel.

With these and other objects in view, a sailing vessel of the type referred to comprises, in accordance with this invention, a pair of rudders for alternate use mounted each on one outrigger arm, the rudders being at the same time formed as drop keels.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as this specification proceeds, reference being now had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sideview of one form of sailing vessel in.

accordance with this invention,

FIG. 2 is an end view thereof,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of part of the vessel from the outrigger side thereof, part of the outrigger hull being removed, and

FIG. 4 is an end view of the parts shown in FIG. 3.

The sailing vessel illustrated in the drawings com prises a main hull I and an outrigger hull 2 connected to the main hull by means of a pair of outrigger amrs 3, each made of a tube which in any suitable manner is rigidly connected with the bulls. Each hull is summetric with respect to a transverse central plane of the vessel. A mast 4 is mounted in the main hull I in this plane and is longitudinally stayed by means of stays 5 and laterally stayed by means of stays 6, 7 and 8, the stays 6 and 7 being secured to the side of the main hull 1 remote from the outrigger hull 2, and the stay 8 being secured to the outrigger hull.

The vessel is provided with a single sail 9 having its leading edge attached to a stay 10 which has its upper end connected with the top of the mast 4 and its lower end to a runner (not shown) which is adapted to be displaced along a rail 12 secured to the side of the main hull 1 adjacent the outrigger hull 2 andn extending over the greater part of the length of the main hull, so that the lower end of stay 10 can be shifted from one end of the vessel to the other, according to the desired direction of travel, by means ofa suitable arrangement of ropes and pulleys. Such arrangements for shifting the lower end of the stay from one end of the vessel to the other are known and need not be described in detail.

For steering the vessel in either direction of travel, a pair of rudders 25 are provided, which are mounted on the outrigger arms 3, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 in respect of one of the rudders, and described in greater detail hereinafter. The following description refers to one rudder only, but applies to the other one as well.

A tubular sleeve 26 is mounted on the outrigger arm 3 for rotation about the axis of the latter and is held against axial displacement along the outrigger arm by 'means of a pair of rings 27 clamped around the outrigmeans of which the rudder 25 is pivoted to the sleeve- The rudder 25 is at its upper end provided with a rigid tiller 30 whose length, measured from the axis of the rudder pin 29, is somewhat greater than twice the distance between the axis of the sleeve 26 and the axis of the rudder pin 29. A tiller extension 32 is pivoted to the end of the tiller 30 by means of a horizontal pin 31. I

By means of the tiller extension 32, the helmsman may not only actuate the rudder for steering, but may also, by pushing the tillerr extension in the longitudinal direction thereof (to the right in FIG. 3), cause the rudder 25 to pivot about the axis. of the outrigger arm 3, so as to lift it out of the water, when appropriate. The rudder 25 may be locked in such more or less lifted position. To this effect, the tiller extension 32 is provided with spaced, downwardly directed pins 33 which may be selectively caused to engage a fitting 34 secured to the main hull l..This fitting 34 may be provided with a single hole adapted to receive the appropriate pin 33 and arranged in such a manner as to enable the rudder 25 to be blocked in a neutral position, when immersed, while the other rudder is being used for steering, or the fitting may be provided with a plurality of transversely spaced holes, so that the rudder when used as a keel, can be locked under a desired angle with the longitudinal axis of the vessel for trimming the latter.

Evidently, the vessel described is intended to sail with the outrigger hull constantly on its lee. In order to insure the required stability of the vessel under these conditions, the outrigger hull should have a maximum dis placement greater than that corresponding to the whole weight of the vessel, so as to be safe against total immersion under extreme wind pressures. During sailing, the rudder which is forward in the direction of travel will normally be locked in a neutral immersed position to counteract drift, while the other rudder is used for steering. Going to the other tack is effected by reversing the direction of travel of the vessel. This is accomplished by first casting off the sheet of the sail, then locking the rudder until now used for steering, in a neutral position, hauling the lower end of stay 10 to the opposite end of the main hull l, hauling in the sheet at the end of the vessel which is now aft, and unlocking the rudder until then serving as a keel. During the manoeuvers with the sail, both rudders will find themselves locked in a neutral position for a certain lapse of time, so as to be prevented from any uncontrollable swivel action which might give rise to an undesirable or even dangerous change of the ships direction relative to the wind direction. Thus, the ship will remain under full rudder control during the reversing manoeuver which, accordingly, may be safely effected by a single hand.

During sealing with the wind abaft, or during shoring of the vessel, the rudder not used for steering may be swung out of the water, as is usual with drop keelsv Moreover, the rudder acting as a keel may be set under a certain angle with the longitudinal axis of the vessel, so as to produce a transverse pressure for counteracting leeway. To the same effect, the rudders may be formed with an asymmetrically curved profile, as shown in FIG. 3, the apex of the profile being to the windward side.

Evidently, the vessel in accordance with this invention may, if desired alternatively be rigged so as to' be adapted to sail with the Outrigger hull constant to windwards. In this instance, a platform for the crew may be mounted on the outrigger arms, for use when appropri ate.

1 claim:

1. A sailing vessel comprising a main hull, an outrigger hull connected to said main hull by means of a plurality of outrigger arms, a sail rig on said main hull adapted to be reversed for sailing of the vessel with either end thereof in the forward direction a pair of rudders for alternate use, each comprising a rudder blade and a tiller, one rudder blade and tiller being connected with one of said outrigger arms and the other rudder blade and tiller being connected with another of said outrigger arms by means permitting swivelling motion of cach rudder blade and tiller independently of the other rudder blade and tiller about an axis situated substantially in the plane of each rudder blade, respectively, means for pivoting cach rudder blade independently of the other about an axis extending at right angles to said swivel axis to adjust the extent of immersion of said rudder blade, and means for locking said rudders, separately and independently of each other, in a substantially neutral steering position.

2. A sailing vessel as in claim 1, wherein said pivot means comprise a pair of sleeves, each mounted on an outrigger arm for rotation about the axis thereof and provided with said means mounting a rudder for swivelling motion thereof.

3. A sailing vessel as in claim 1, in which said rudder blades are formed with an asymmetrical profile producing a transverse pressure for counter-acting leeway during sailing.

4. A sailing vessel comprising a main hull, an outrigger hull connected to said main hull by means of a plurality 'of outrigger arms, a sail rig on said main hull adapted to be reversed for sailing of the vessel with either end thereof in forward direction, a pair of rudders, each comprising a rudder blade and a tiller rigidly connected therewith, means connecting one rudder with one outrigger arm and the other rudder with another outrigger arm, said connecting means comprising a pair of sleeves each rotatably surrounding one of said outrigger arms and each provided with means for receiving one of said rudders for swivelling motion about an axis at right angles to the axis of said sleeve and spaced from said latter axis, said tiller having a length at least twice the distance between said swivel axis and the axis of said sleeve, a tiller extension pivoted to the free end of said tiller about a substantially horizontal axis and provided with means for optionally locking it to said main hull in various positions corresponding to various angular adjustments of said sleeve about the axis of said outrigger arm, with said rudder blade in a substantially neutral steering position.

5. A sailing vessel as in claim 4 comprising further means for separately and optionally locking each rudder in a position deviating from said neutral steering position. 

1. A sailing vessel comprising a main hull, an outrigger hull connected to said main hull by means of a plurality of outrigger arms, a sail rig on said main hull adapted to be reversed for sailing of the vessel with either end thereof in the forward direction a pair of rudders for alternate use, each comprising a rudder blade and a tiller, one rudder blade and tiller being connected with one of said outrigger arms and the other rudder blade and tiller being connected with another of said outrigger arms by means permitting swivelling motion of each rudder blade and tiller independently of the other rudder blade and tiller about an axis situated substantially in the plane of each rudder blade, respectively, means for pivoting each rudder blade independently of the other about an axis extending at right angles to said swivel axis to adjust the extent of immersion of said rudder blade, and means for locking said rudders, separately and independently of each other, in a substantially neutral steering position.
 2. A sailing vessel as in claim 1, wherein said pivot means comprise a pair of sleeves, each mounted on an outrigger arm for rotation about the axis thereof and provided with said means mounting a rudder for swivelling motion thereof.
 3. A sailing vessel as in claim 1, in which said rudder blades are formed with an asymmetrical profile producing a transverse pressure for counter-acting leeway during sailing.
 4. A sailing vessel comprising a main hull, an outrigger hull connected to said main hull by means of a plurality of outrigger arms, a sail rig on said main hull adapted to be reversed for sailing of the vessel with either end thereof in forward direction, a pair of rudders, each comprising a rudder blade and a tiller rigidly connected therewith, means connecting one rudder with one outrigger arm and the other rudder with another outrigger arm, said connecting means comprising a pair of sleeves each rotatably surrounding one of said outrigger arms and each provided with means for receiving one of said rudders for swivelling motion about an axis at right angles to the axis of said sleeve and spaced from said latter axis, said tiller having a length at least twice the distance between said swivel axis and the axis of said sleeve, a tiller extension pivoted to the free end of said tiller about a substantially horizontal axis and provided with means for optionally locking it to said main hull in various positions corresponding to various angular adjustments of said sleeve about the axis of said outrigger arm, with said rudder blade in a substantially neutral steering position.
 5. A sailing vessel as in claim 4 comprising further means for separately and optionally locking each rudder in a position deviating from said neutral steering position. 